Combined fertilizer-distributer and cotton-seed planter.



maomooa. I BATENIED:N,OV.2-8,1905.

' J. w. RUDGE.

COMBINED FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER AND COTTON SEED PLANTER.

APPLIOATION FILED we. 7.1905.

willi/ 'them all at the same time, means being pro- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN WILLIAM RUDGE, OF MONROE, NORTH CAROLINA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

Application filed August 7, 1905. Serial No. 273,159.

To a. whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM RUDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Monroe, in the county of Union and State of North Carolina,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in, a-Combined;Fertilizer- Distributer and Cotton-Seed Planter; and I do declare thefollowing'to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to combined fertilizer-distributers andcotton-seed planters.

' The object ofthe invention is to provide a machine of this characterwhich will open a furrow, distribute the fertilizer and cover the same,plant the seed, and then cover and roll vided for regulating thedischarge ofthe fertilizer and seed. f

Another objectis to provide agitators to assist in discharging the seedand. fertilizer and prevent the same from becoming clogged in thehoppers, means being also provided for driving the agitators and forthrowing the same into and out of gear.

A further object is to provide a deviceof this character which will besimple inconstruction, strong and durable, and well adapted to thepurpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,as will be more fully described, and

particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thedevice. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3

'is a vertical cross-section on the line 3 30f Fig. 1. Fig. -is a detailview of one of the covering-blades. Fig. 5 is a vertical crosssectionalview through one of'the-hoppers, and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective viewof the v-shaped deflector-blades arranged on the front end of thecultivator-beam.

Referring more particularly to the draw-'* ings, 1 denotes the beam,consisting ofv two.

bars arranged parallel with each other and securely bolted together, butspaced apart byblocks 1, arranged between the ends of the same.

2 denotes a plow or furrow-opener arranged at the front end of the beam,the shank or standard of which is adjustably mounted in ber of which isfixed to the shaft 7 the forward spacing-block l by means of a set-screw2*. i 1 y .3 and 4 denote. fertilizer and seed hoppers supported uponthe beam 1, the fertilizerhopper being arranged immediately in rear ofthe'plow 2, and on the lower end of the hopper 3 is formed adischarge-spout 5, which projects downwardly and, forwardly and isadapted to discharge fertilizer from the hopper into the furrow openedby the plow 2.

6 denotes a curved covering-bladebolted at its upper end to the underside of the beam 1 and arranged to cover thefertilizer discharged ,bythe tube 5, said blade having formed in its upper end a slot 6, throughwhich the securing-bolt 6 is adapted-to pass, thereby permitting thebladeto be adjusted on said beamto cause the former to scrape more orless dirt. onto the fertilizer deposited from the spout 5.

wheel 7, and 9 denotes seed-covering blades bolted at their upper endsto the under side of the beam 1 and adapted to cover the seed dischargedby the tube 8. The blades 9 are constructed similarly to the blades 6and are adjustably ,connected to the beam 1 in the same manner. a

1O denotes a smoothing and packing roller connected to the rear end ofthe beam 1 by means of the pivoted frame 12.

13 denotes a crank-arm provided on its upper end with a sleeve 14, whichis loosely mounted on the end of the power-wheel shaft 7*. On the innerend of the sleeve is formedone member of a. clutch 15, the opposite mem-A clutch shifting rod 16 is pivotally connected to the beam 1 and hasits lower end forked to engage anannular groove in the loose member-ofthe clutch and having its upper end formed into a handle and arrangedwithin convenient reach of the operator. The upper end of the rod 16rests on the crossbar of the plow-handles and isadapted to pass througha spring- .guide loop 16 and to engage stop-shoulders 16', which holdthe same in position when the clutch is thrown either into orout ofgear.

17 and 18 denote agitator-shafts mountedin the hoppers 3 and 4, and onsaid shafts are arranged fingers 19, preferably five in number, three ofwhich are arranged centrally and in line above the feed-opening of thehoppers, and the other two are arranged one' on each side of the centralfingers and projecting obliquely toward the feed-opening, as shown inFig. 5. This arrangement of the agitatorfingers prevents clogging of theseed or fertilizer in the bottom of the hoppers and causes the same tobe properly fed or discharged.

On the outer ends of the shafts 17 and 18 are formed cranks 20 and 21,which are connected by pitmen 22 and 23 to the central crank-arm 13 onthe power-shaft, so that when said crank-arm is thrown into gear withthe power-wheel shaft an oscillatory movement will be given to theagitator shafts and fingers when the machine is drawn along, as will beunderstood.

Any suitable means may be provided for regulating the size of thefeed-opening in the hoppers 3 and 4:, such means being here shown asconsisting of a plate 241, connected to thelower end of an operating-rod25, which is pivoted to. the side of the hopper. The plate 24 is adaptedto rest on the bottom of the hoppers and to be moved laterally acrossthe same to regulate the size of the discharge: opening formed therein.The upper end of the operating-rod 25 is adapted to project above thehopper to form a handle and is also adapted to engage a spring-clip 26,whereby the rod and plate are held in the desired position.

27 denotes handles, which may be of any suitable construction and areconnected at their lower ends to the beam 1 and supported near theirupper ends by brace-bars 28, which are fixed at their lower ends to therear end of the beam 1. A cross-bar 29 connects the upper ends of thehandle-bars and spaces the same apart.

The pivotal connection of the roller 10 with the frame permits the sameto readily swing up or down in passing over rough places, the weight ofthe roller being sufficient to smooth thedsoil and lightly pack the sameover the see The clutch connection between the crank on the power-shaftpermits the agitator-shafts I to be quickly thrown into or out of gear.1f desired, the front end of the cultivator-beam may be provided withdeflector-blades 30, said blades being arranged in V shape and providedwith upwardly-projecting standards 31, by which the blades aredetachably connected to the ends of the beam by means of bolts, asshown. The deflector-blades 30 are designed to remove or throw to eachside all clods, stones, rubbish, and weeds that may lie in the line ofthe furrow or row. \Vhen desired, the blades 30 may be quickly removed.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the inventionwill be readily understood without requiring a more extendedexplanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

The herein-described combined fertilizerdistributer and cotton-seedplanter, compris ing the beam, the supporting and power roller havingits bearings at the center of the beam and having its shaft providedwith the loose crank, the furrow-opener at the front end of the beam,the trailing roller at the rear end of the beam, the hoppers near thefront and rear ends of the beam and each having an oscillating agitatorprovided at one end with a crank, pitmen connecting the power-rollercrank to the agitator-cranks, the movable clutch element on thepower-roller shaft, and the lever to shift such movable clutch elementinto and out of engagement with the loose crank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribii'ig witnesses.

JOHN ILLIAM RUDG'E.

Witnesses:

J. D. Rosa, J. RUDGE.

